Showing posts with label Doctor-To-Be. Show all posts

The Heartbeat

Bullet points save the time- I hope.

Late afternoon.
My friend and I had just finished our Heart Murmurs tutorial.
Were heading to the medical assessment unit (MAU) to get some signatures off any of the cardiology SHOs for the histories that we had taken.
Saw the cardiology SPR and SHO walking hurriedly into the MAU (when would they not walk fast anyway?)
Then only realised that there was an emergency case in there. Everyone was looking busy, and anxious too.
Cardiology SHO saw us stepping in, showed us the emergency patient's ECG to interpret.
Pretty straightforward but tricky.
ECG showed bradycardia, tall R waves and ST depression on leads V1 to V4. Diagnosis?
Ya you're right. Think ahead, flip over the page upside-down.
Posterior MI, that was. Jaw-dropping real clinical scenario.
Resus. Resus. Resus.
'Ready to go?'- asked the reg to the staff around.
So they pushed the patient on his trolley down to the lift
We decided to take the stairs instead, afraid if we would have to share the bed with the patient on the lift!
Oh FYI the Cath lab is up on the 1st floor, while MAU, ground floor.
Arrived in the Cath lab ahead of the patient and those people who accompanied him from MAU- including his family members.
Everyone at Cath lab was looking concerned- as if they rarely do primary PCIs!
Another patient was already in Cath lab, didn't know what happened to him. Had he finished his elective angiogram or whatever, no one who came from MAU bothered to ask.
The (elective, I'd say) patient looked as if he was being kicked out off the operating table. Poor thing!
Apologies 'cause we got a serious thing here. It's emergency!
Now our emergency MAU patient was pushed into the Cath lab. I mean our Posterior MI patient.
Everyone was trying to get him ready for primacy PCI.
We wondered if we would get to watch the PCI.
Last watched it in 3rd year when the standard access was the femoral artery. Now after 2 years, my friend who did Cardiology last month said, it's radial artery that they use now. Was surprised on how rapid the change had taken place. Must keep up with the evolving technology isn't it.
The guy and lady in lead gowns asked us to find out if we could watch, by asking one of the doctors. I mean one of those guys who were busy preparing the patient. Till the procedure ended we still couldn't figure out who these two people were.
Walked in and out Cath lab very keen to see what they were doing.
When the reg then said 'Ye better get your leads on guys'. Nearly hopped up to the roof in joy.
So managed to observe the whole thing. Though the reg wasn't looking after Cath lab at the moment, he scrubbed in anyway. He talked us through a couple of things the consultant and another reg in charge were doing.
We were extremely clueless. Even the orientation of the heart and the coronaries were hardly appreciated. Pathetic I know.
Got the basic ideas though, they sucked out the embolus, performed angioplasty and put in stent(s). Don't know how many because the reg left early.
The patient couldn't be kept immobile, he moved his body and hand giving troubles to the consultant. The access is in the wrist so imagine the risk.
'We're dealing with wires in your heart, every time you move you put yourself in danger'- said the consultant.
On table angios or DSAs were performed periodically and the lights were turned on and off now and again.
The operating table and DSA machine also moved back and forth in the direction the performer wanted. All looking sophisticated, similar to 2 years back not much of a difference.
I stood there at the end of the table, close enough for a good view of the whole thing- very avid.
Was imagining if someday I would get to do the same thing. To perform I mean.
I've fallen in love with cardiology all along. Don't know if I'd change my mind in the future though.
I love surgery but hate scrubbing in. I love doing stuff like cutting people open but I dread having to expose my arms to clean them before putting on the sterile gown.
Odd I know, and I believe Islam actually gives us some sort of an excuse in this circumstance but I just don't feel too good.
So I thought angiogram lies in between, I'd get to perform a procedure without being subjected to a too strict scrubbing nitty-gritties.
Really hope to become a cardiologist someday, though the hectic life is the thing that I fear most.
Personal interest versus relaxed life- what scale to use?
Who doesn't know how long a cardiology patients' list is? No other branches of medicine or surgery can challenge I believe.
They don't have a rota for oncalls. They're oncall everyday!
'We're not like others, they're boring!'- the reg once said to me. What a controversial statement!
As I was standing next to the reg staring at the coronaries on the DSA screen, I wondered does Malaysia have this technology?
Then I thought, probably we do at least at IJN (National Heart Institute of Malaysia). I want to work at IJN so. That easy to decide? Need to do a homework on this first.
I've always wanted to work in Ireland. I mean, since the first time I stepped my feet 4 years back, which brought me to get involved in an 8-week research over the summer in 3rd year.
Cause I heard some seniors said it'd be easier to get a job in Ireland if you got a 'research' beautifying your CV. Is it true?
I remember a senior Malaysian doctor once told me, it wasn't that he didn't want to go home, but he wanted to bring back 'something', meaning the skill and knowledge. He wanted to be some kind of a pearl who returns back home with something extraordinary for the country, probably some expertise that the country doesn't yet possess.
Once a Malaysian, always a Malaysian ;).
Say if we go back home as interns, then where's the benefits of studying overseas really. Would we not be better off sponsored to study within the country itself in the first place you think?
Well, that's a matter of judgment though. It's arbitrary and relative from a person to another.
I'm thinking now still. Even when the patients asked I'd say I was still thinking.
The Garda officer also asked me once and I said, still thinking. When he asked about what doctor I wanted to be then I said, probably a heart doctor. I actually meant it, but we never know if something else will come crossing our road in a few years time don't we?
After all decisions are not all about me alone. Many other things play their part too, and probably my personal view mightn't be the priority even. Wallahu'alam.
In the mean time, cardiology or others, Ireland or Malaysia, in this sense, belajarlah rajin-rajin! (Study hard/smart!)

Allahumma infa’nii bimaa ‘allamtanii wa’allimnii maa yanfa’ unii.
O Allah! Make useful for me what You taught me and teach me knowledge that will be useful to me.
Allahumma inii as’aluka fahmal-nabiyyen wa hifthal mursaleen al-muqarrabeen.
O Allah! I ask You for the understanding of the prophets and the memory of the messengers, and those nearest to You.
Allahumma ijal leesanee ‘amiran bi thikrika wa qalbi bi khashyatika.
O Allah! Make my tongue full of Your remembrance, and my heart with consciousness of You.
Innaka ‘ala ma-tasha’-u qadeer wa anta hasbun-allahu wa na’mal wakeel.
(Oh Allah!) You do whatever You wish, and You are my Availer and best of aid. Protector and the best of aid.


Feedback form for my 2-week elective attachment at UCHG. How can I not get hooked to Cardiology? :P * Apologies for the jargon. I might've been talking French!

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Antenatal Clinic

Staying with Dr M [Not Dr Mahathir, mind you ;)], the locum Consultant of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the antenatal clinic yesterday couldn't be any more exciting. It somehow healed the wound of disappointment I had last semester when I was on the same attachment down at the Portiuncula Hospital, Ballinasloe. It was because last time I didn't get as much opportunity to do things that after those 2 weeks I left the hospital with a small bit of displeasure.

I can't blame on the team or respective doctors though, as a different person has different personality- towards the medical students I mean. Anyways Dr M was someone who taught, which of course was a criterion that all students looked forward to! And so I managed to perform quite a good lot of physical exams on patients who came in for antenatal check-ups. Alhamdulillah. *smiling to the ears*

*****

One patient came in.

Dr M : Ok you examine the patient. He continued browsing the patient's chart.

[Previously he commented on my physical exam, stressing that as a student I should follow the proper structure of a physical exam i.e. starting with the introduction, general inspection and everything.]

Sarah : Hi my name is Sarah a fourth year medical student, would you mind if I have a look at your tummy?

Patient : Ya, no.

Dr M got up from his chair and came close to me and the patient to see ~~how I was doing~~ the patient.

Sarah : On general inspection the patient is lying comfortably on the bed. There's no scars, no striae, no linea nigra appear on the...

Dr M : Tell me what is linea nigra.

Sarah : Err... [Oh my God, he's asking the last question I would ever want to be asked!]

Dr M : What is this here? While he pointed at a pigmented longitudinal line stretching across the patient's gravid abdomen passing the umbilicus.

Dr M : This is what we call linea nigra.

Sarah : Err, oh ok. Hee~ *grinned*

Lesson

If you don't know, don't pretend like you know. Or you'd better off ask!

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Fertility Clinic

Today was our first day of Obstetrics and Gynaecology rotation for this semester. I'm attached to Dr Egan's team this time around with my colleagues and we spent our time at the Fertility Clinic this afternoon.

It's actually rather inappropriate to use 'infertility' that the term 'subfertility' is being used instead. Subfertility means the inability for a couple to conceive after 1 year of regular sexual intercourse. From 2pm to 5pm I saw 4 couples who came in to see the doctor to get their problems sorted out. And they presented with various possible reasons of subfertility be it of maternal or paternal origin.

Endometriosis, unilateral tubal ligation, overweight, poor sperm motility or just 'unknown' were the pertinent reasons for their presentation. Some have tried tablets and everything to help them conceive but they all haven't seemed to produce good results.

I wonder what does it feel like to have a child (I hope my mum finds it exciting to have us!). I believe it's going to be fulfilling and life would seem more worth-living. Pretty sure about that really. That is as long as the child is meant to be born. What if he/she was an unwanted product of free sex? (And why am I writing short sentences, I don't know)

That's why nowadays we find babies trashed in the bins, flushed into the toilet, swarmed by the ants under a tree and left on the boot of a car. They were treated as if they were valueless. As if it was them to blame for the mistakes committed by their parents.

Only if their mean parents knew how hard it has been for the other couples to conceive...

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Corofin 4

[Real name has been concealed]

“Would you mind if Sarah does the injection for you?”, asked Lisa to our patient who came in today to get his 3-monthly injection of Zoladex LA, a Gonadotrophin Releasing Hormone implant for his prostate cancer.

Silence for 3 seconds.

“Did she ever do one before?” asked the patient worriedly with his notable British accent.

I was screaming ‘Nnoooo’ at the back of my throat but nothing escaped when Lisa replied “Yes, she did one before”. ‘Wh-at? I did not!’, jaw-dropped, it got me speechless.

At that moment only the 3 of us were in the room and the patient was already lying on the bed all set to receive the treatment. “Oh my God, oh my God, what am I going to do?” I panicked in my own skin.

5 mins prior.

“Fancy a subcutaneous injection today?”, asked Lisa.

“Err maybe no, I did one on the mannequin before but never did it on a real person”, I replied.

“Oh okay”

And it was actually just the normal liquid injection that I performed before.

***

“Have a look at the instructions, pet”, said Lisa as she handed me the back of the injection package where the instructions were written. My hands were stone cold and nearly trembled as I ran through the sentences.

‘I’m reading this thing only seconds before the procedure? What sort of a risk am I taking? This is a lifetime’s risk!’ Then only I remembered that I actually never even did a subcutaneous injection on a mannequin. ‘It was intramuscular! What?’

‘Oh my God, oh my God what am I going to do now?’.

‘I cannot just leave it like that. This is your chance Sarah, when else you think you are ever going to be given the trust to perform such an important procedure?’.

The other side of my brain shouted back;

‘But I seriously never did this before, N-E-V-E-R! No joke. And what more this isn’t that typical injection, this is an implant in a pre-filled syringe. Once used, gone!’

Only if I could emulate what I felt at that time with a painting on a canvas, I believe there’d only be jumbled doodles all over with absolutely nothing to decipher. I was stuck between desire and practicality.

I made a quick run-through of the steps but couldn’t understand much due to the burning fright inside. I tried it again but simply couldn’t absorb anything at this peak moment.

Should I get my feet ready to flee from this treatment room, from this medical centre to where, maybe to the Cliffs of Moher not far away from here? I’ve no guts to do this. Should I just give up?

[to be cont'd]

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Corofin 3

That wasn’t my first time drawing blood from a patient.

[Real name has been concealed]

“Ok Mr O’Sullivan my name is Lisa the practice nurse and this is Sarah a practical doctor from Galway. Would you mind if she took the blood off you today?”, said Lisa with that strong yet soft northern accent.

“Oh yes I don’t”

So I shook his hand and smiled as I always did.

“Sarah, the wife of Abraham”- Mr O’S

“Ya you’re right”- Me

“She was 94 when she got Isaac” - Mr O’S

“Oh I’m not sure of the age” –Me

“That’s very old, how would that be possible?”- Lisa

So I drew the blood off his arm while having these 2 things lingering on my mind:

* At least there’s someone in Ireland who knows the history of his religion [Islam and Christianity came from the same root]. At least there’s someone in Ireland who reads his religion’s book. [That I ever met]

* No matter what age we are if He wants to shower us with His bounties, He will.

"Then We gave her good tidings of Isaac and after Isaac, Jacob. She said, "Woe to me! [An expression of surprise and amazement]. Shall I give birth while I am an old woman and this, my husband, is an old man? Indeed, this is an amazing thing!" They said, "Are you amazed at the decree of Allah? May the mercy of Allah and His blessings be upon you, people of the house. Indeed, He is Praiseworthy and Honorable.""
[Hud, 11:71-73]

And alhamdulillah it was quite easy obtaining blood from his arm despite him saying that the nurse on maternity leave used to have problems finding his veins. I’m not that good either but just put on that confident face, say bismillah [in the name of God], use your knowledge, and prick! Just hope that you’re not hitting the tendon or artery now. Gotta admit we’re always on the edge.

“We’re nearly there, one more to go”

A few seconds passed.

“So we’re done now, pet”-Lisa

“Was it more painful compared to the one you had last time?”- Me

“Oh no, no” –Mr O’S

“She’s very good isn’t she?” -Lisa

“So you always take people’s blood do you?” -Mr O’S

“Ya, ya, that’s what we do. We’re vampires” –Lisa

And we all burst into laughter as I popped on the band aid on the prick spot.

Fergus View
Corofin, Co. Clare

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Corofin 1

As I’m writing this I’m down in Corofin, Clare in one of the rooms of a farmhouse called Fergus View which I’ll be staying for the next 6 days or so. Sitting on my chiropractic bed facing the window overlooking the breathtaking view of County Clare is certainly a bounty from God, a blessing that I’d never thought would ever take place as I round the bends of my life.

"Have they not seen that We drive the water [in clouds] to barren land and bring forth thereby crops from which their livestock eat and [they] themselves? Then do they not see?"
[as-Sajdah, 32:27]

Yesterday was a very bright and sunny day that I found myself lucky enough to have brought along my shades in my already-exploding suitcase. I made it to Ennis Bus Station in the afternoon and inadvertently missed the bus to Corofin as a result of long chats with a middle-aged lady and later, an old chap. Didn’t know how did that happen though, only realized that the bus was gone when the time on my phone passed 3 o’clock, the time in which I should have boarded the bus. What a pity and huge disappointment. Perhaps I was too complaisant seeing a row of taxis by the roadside waiting for passengers which would be my back-ups if I miss the bus and guess what, I did miss the bus.

Corofin Medical Centre is a humble building located at the heart of Corofin. Surprisingly the taxi driver whose taxi I was in didn’t know where the place was that he had to ask his friend and a pedestrian to get the direction to drive over to the medical centre. Obvious message of how remote the place was.

I was supposed to be with Dr Fergus Glynn for the 8-day attachment in Corofin but as he is away to everywhere at the moment another lovely doctor takes over i.e Dr Mary O’Brien. She’s an extremely nice lady who is cheerful all the time, with a smile that hardly fades from her face- a quality which I believe is not easy to be found in someone whose everyday job is always on the ball. She keeps the practice alive and as far as the 2 days I’ve been attached to her not a second I felt uneasy or humiliated or the ‘when-can-I-leave-this-place’ feeling but instead every moment had been fulfilled with fun and knowledge. All praises be to God.

Fergus View

Corofin, Co. Clare

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Galway Excursion

Fancy spending some engaging yet enlightening time outside Galway?

This year PPIMG proudly presents:

Read More 0 Throw A Word | Conceived by sarahyusof

Buon giorno!

[This entry has been outfitted with relevant links for further clarifications. Pardon my technical vocab.]

"Calling for medical doctors, if there's any medical doctor on the aircraft please report yourself to the cabin crew. Thank you."

A couple of minutes passed.

"We are calling for medical doctors on the aircraft, please report yourselves to the cabin crew. Thank you".

My friends and I were scattered on the Ryanair plane thus didn't get to sit next to each other. Upon hearing the announcement we instantly looked at each other with a question mark on our faces wondering what was on about with the calls. All shrugged the shoulders in curiosity. Also whispers began to rise among the passengers who were so intrigued to know what's the matter.

At the Dublin Airport

This incident took place last 2 years during winter where we were on board for a flight from Dublin, Ireland to Venice, Italy. The four of us took two separate buses from Galway at the midnight prior and arrived in the Dublin Airport in the wee hours. So no doubt we were completely sleep-deprived and knackered. The only thing listed in my mind while waiting for the check-in counter to open was that as soon as I stepped my feet into the plane I would straight away perform the Fajr prayer and then doze off!

"Excuse me, can I ask why did they call out for doctors?" My friend who was a final year medical student at that time stopped a steward who was passing by along the aisle, to end the crave for information that nested in our chests.

"Well, there's a patient with tachycardia on the front seat there", his forefinger pointed to a direction to show where the poor patient was seated.

"Oh I see", she responded while everyone else who was also putting on their ears nodded in comprehension.

It felt much better that at least now we knew what was happening in the plane but something that I would like to point out here is that I was totally impressed with the use of 'tachycardia' by the steward. The term is actually very technical but he used it so naturally that I thought 'oh ya the people here are relatively used to using medical jargons in their daily conversation despite having no medical background'. Impressive, impressive.

With my shallow knowledge in medicine at that time I began to make my own hypotheses using my own algorithm. Uhm tachycardia doesn't necessarily imply a very serious event, it could happen in any situation. Even sitting for an exam can cause increased heart rate! ;) Therefore it's highly imperative for doctors to have a peek at a patient's full history and clinical presentations before anything else to avoid making a hasty conclusion. Investigations and managements should follow consequently but in a mere aircraft, what investigation tool can we expect?

"Should I go?" My final med friend nudged my arm for an opinion.

"Err ya of course. There seemed to be no medical doctors in the plane so why not, go ahead and see what ye can do!" Among the four of us, two were final meds and the other two including me were second meds.

So off they went to the front trying to lend a hand just if they could be of any help. I was like, wasn't that grand, I wished I was a doctor already ;). Soon insyaAllah. And then I went to perform the ablution to get ready for the Fajr prayer.

I managed to snooze in my seat for quite a while and as I woke up I saw that the girls' seats were still vacant. So I stood up and caught the sight of the two girls in the forefront. They're like doctors already, I monologued with a smile. I then sat back on the armchair and turned my head to the window to appreciate the view outside along the journey.

The scenery was absolutely marvelous! With the discrete layers of fluffy clouds which would definitely look like the sticky-sweet candy floss if drawn together, plus the neatly arranged dwellings which appeared very teensy and even much smaller than the house and hotel miniatures that we use to connote our properties when playing the board game Monopoly. Imagine we ourselves in the houses, how insignificant we were in the eyes of The Creator!

The extraordinary panorama that differed this flight with the previous flights that I had boarded was the flawless white snow coating the mighty Alps just like the confectioner's sugar frosting icing the top of a hot, freshly baked cinnamon roll. [Some exaggerations here- anyhow why are my illustrations all food-based I wonder ;)]. But ya, it was stunningly beautiful. Looking up on the internet I just picked up on the fact that the mountains of Alps actually stretch from Austria and Slovenia in the east; through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany; while to France in the west. How incredible are God's creations! Subhanallah.

"And it is He Who spread out the earth, and placed therein firm mountains and rivers and of every kind of fruits He made Zawjain Ithnain [two in pairs- may mean two kinds or it may mean: of two varieties, e.g. black and white, sweet and sour, small and big]. He brings the night as a cover over the day. Verily, in these things, there are Ayat [proofs, evidences, lessons, signs] for the people who understand."
[Ar-Ra'd, 13:3]

While I was diligently contemplating the breathtaking view outside, my attention was shattered by another announcement;

"Attention to all passengers, we're arriving in the Venice Treviso Airport shortly. We would like to remind the passengers to put on the seatbelts and...."

Beautiful Venice

So there we were, the plane finally touched down the land of the Byzantine Empire gracefully. The four of us only got back together at the baggage collection area. As we lined up at the immigration counter to get our passports stamped, a middle-aged bloke who was on the same plane as we were greeted our two final med heroes, "Life savers!".

We just chuckled and smiled. Proud of ye, girls! ;)

Later on our friends came to unfold the details of the story on what actually happened at the front seats. Apparently the tachycardic lady already had a preexisting disease, hypertension I think [forgot it at the moment]. So when suddenly her heart began to beat very quickly that situation alarmed her companion whom then sought the cabin crew's attention just to prepare for the worst case scenario.

Sometimes, or perhaps most of the time we have to be careful not to take patients' complaints as they are. As not everyone uses the term 'tachycardia' in the correct context so it could plainly mean that it's just that the heart itself suddenly beats faster than usual or it could also suggest palpitations which could be life-threatening if it involves fatal arrhythmias. So now maybe airline companies should consider equipping their aircraft with ECG device then? Hehe ;)

The most interesting part of the story was that the girls were kept at the front seats while 'paying attention' at the lady's progress. So they were given exclusive treatment by the cabin crew- a cup of hot drink each plus the wide and comfy front seats! And even one of the girls got the chance to enter the cockpit to speak to the pilot or co-pilot [I wasn't so sure but I believed of course it wasn't the one 'driving' the plane lol], just to explain what was going on and to discuss the necessity of turning back the plane; which was like, wow! How grand that was!

Anyhow the thing that they had to let go of was: SLEEP!

So that was a memorable incident we encountered en route from Dublin to Venice on the Ryanair aircraft. What a happy ending, alhamdulillah.

The End.

**********

In memory of those who lost their family members in the Air France's Airbus A330-200 Rio de Janeiro- Paris tragedy; I would like to express my heartfelt condolence to those inflicted. My best wishes are with you and may you be given the strength to endure this painful moment and poignant point in time. Whoever who lives shall die, it's us who are still alive whom have to press on with this life's journey.

"..."To Allah we belong, and to Him is our return" "
[Al-Baqarah, 2:156]

Wallahu'alam.

*some alterations were made on the storyline.

Read More 0 Throw A Word | Conceived by sarahyusof

Exams!

Yesterday was a special day for the ex-final meds. I believe all the pain and sufferings they once had to go through were finally gone after knowing that they're now officially doctors- which literally means that they're now licensed to kill, lol!

I was there when the results came out as we just finished our tutorial the hour prior. Purposely planned to stay in CSI to wait for the heart-pounding fate to be announced. Anyhow the happy faces got me inspired to study harder, as I knew and always know that 'no pain, no gain'. So Sarah, you have to be more focused and diligent you know; God please grant me the strength!

Imagine our lifelong dream has eventually come into reality, isn't that surreal? MashaAllah. All the years spent buried in the books seemed to pay off and another chapter of their life is about to begin, how wonderful that is. I'm happy for y'all, CONGRATULATIONS! Don't forget to gratitude and remind ourselves that this victory came into place with His permission alone so thanking Allah should be ahead of everything.

I checked my Facebook account today as I always do and had a look at the updates that showed up at the homepage. Of course the ex-final meds were expressing their happiness with their facebook status and all, but what that captured my attention were their pictures. I am able to group them the Muslim Malaysian doctor-to-bes into two cohorts. I reiterate, I'm talking about the Muslims now.

One cohort celebrated their success in Eastern Tandoori, a halal Indian restaurant in town. I think they just had a simple celebratory dinner together with another non-Malaysian Muslim, in a proper manner. Proper for me is being well behaved, no unnecessary physical contacts and dressed in a respectable manner. In a nutshell the things being taught by the Quran that is, as the book is our manual isn't it?

The second cohort celebrated their joy in a way absolutely in contrary to the above. In a pub with their Irish classmates dressed in a way that could've been more decent, I looked at the pictures with a deep sigh. O Allah please help and guide us to Your way. We are just a humble, weak creation of Yours and we certainly wouldn't be able to bear your chastisement which resulted from our own fault.

This is reality. Indeed, excellence is one of Allah's way to test people. Not merely poverty, plights and deaths are called tests but happiness is, too. To be honest I'm afraid if me myself is thrown into this second cohort when I'm given such an achievement in the future. So now I'm writing this down not to say that I'm good enough but more importantly to always remind myself not to get easily allured to worldly temptations that would lead me astray to a way I shouldn't have given a chance to. InsyaAllah.

"O you who believe! Why do you say that which you do not do? Most hateful it is with Allah that you say that which you do not do."
[As-Saff, 61:2-3]

Anyway we're in the exam season again. MCQ scheduled for this Friday, written paper the Friday after and an OSCE on the following Friday. 3 weeks back to back. Finish with 3rd year after that, insyaAllah. Got a long and crooked way to go before becoming a doctor, still. Hope we'll pull through anyway with His Blessings.

Not to forget I'm wishing all the teachers, not just occupational teachers but everyone who teaches, ever taught or will teach a big big Happy Teacher's Day!- Malaysian date [16th May]. To my mum too who's a teacher, Happy Teacher's Day, I know she wouldn't be reading this though lol. Just realized that Ireland doesn't have such a day, what a pity huhu.

Pray for all of us for our exams and everything! Thanksss!

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The Rounds

I started the day with a ward round with McAnena's team in the morning, late by 5 minutes and found that they were'nt in the ward where they're supposed to start at ie. Dominics. Was thinking that I might've been too early and asked the nurse there if the team was there earlier. She said that she definitely didn't see the team. However after bleeping the team's intern we found out that the team was apparently in Gerard's ward. Lesson: Don't be late for even one second, watch your time!

After the rounds we went to the Multidisciplinary Meeting in the Nursing Building. The thin downpour got us wet spots on our white coat and shirts when having to walk from the UCHG to the building. It was my first time ever being there, sophisticated enough that they were doing the broadcasting with representatives from other hospitals eg Sligo and Castlebar. All was projected onto the screen. Also the tiny microphones sticking out from the ceiling were cool, so don't talk loudly while they're discussing as your voice might reach as far as Castlebar. However didn't find it that useful given my limited knowledge on what they're discussing about. Lesson: Read read and read, and understand, memorize and make sense of the things in the books!

Observed two colonoscopies and an oesophagogastroduodenoscopy [OGD] in the surgical day ward on the third floor. Great new experience. Was so disappointed with my own self though for not being able to answer any of Mr Babur's questions leaving them to my colleagues instead. Struggling to figure out something to say but wasn't able to shout out any of them. I feel bad. Sorry guys. I have to promise that i'll do beneficial stuffs [err, eg studying of course] this weekend so that i'll be knowledgeable and confident enough to answer the future questions. Fingers crossed.

Ya Rabbi, please give me Your Guidance for i'm merely a weak slave. Chiyo!

Have a nice and productive weekend peeps!

P/S: Hope the prayer@solat hajat ceremony tomorrow will turn out to be well organised, insyaAllah.

Read More 0 Throw A Word | Conceived by sarahyusof